Mediterranean-inspired Pearl Couscous Salad is loaded with fresh vegetables and herbs, chewy Israeli couscous, feta cheese, and the most delicious lemony dressing. It makes a perfect light meal or a tasty side dish.
Pearl Couscous Salad is a simple, satisfying, and delicious salad made with lots of fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and a lemony salad dressing.
Everyone loves it when I bring this easy salad to summer barbecues! It’s different than the typical pasta salads and macaroni salads that have become the norm, and it pairs well with just about everything.
But if you’d rather make a classic pasta salad today, be sure to check out my Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, and traditional Tuna Pasta Salad recipes. You can never have too many salads!
What is Pearl Couscous?
If you’re familiar with regular couscous, then think of that, just bigger! Pearl couscous, also called Israeli couscous, is a type of pasta made of tiny circles of toasted semolina flour.
A staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, pearl couscous can be enjoyed as a simple side dish, added to curries and soups, or turned into this healthy and delicious Pearl Couscous Salad.
Pearl couscous is a quick-cooking grain, with a delightful fluffy yet chewy texture. Just like traditional pasta, it will soak up flavors from sauces and dressings wonderfully and can be used in so many amazing recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy– I’ll teach you how to cook pearl couscous, and then you’ll be ready to mix up this salad! With minimal cooking and lots of ways to customize it, this giant couscous salad is perfect for beginner cooks and experienced pros.
- Nutritious – Why eat boring veggies when you can eat them like this?! Cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, artichokes, fresh herbs, and chickpeas make this a healthy option.
- Delicious – A homemade vinaigrette made with fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, and seasonings would make anything taste great, but it goes perfectly with the ingredients in this Mediterranean couscous salad.
Ingredients In Pearl Couscous Salad
Here’s what you need to make this salad:
- Pearl Couscous: I used whole wheat pearl couscous for this recipe, but you can just as easily use regular. Look for it in the store, called pearl couscous, gourmet pearl couscous, or Israeli couscous.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley and mint give this salad so much flavor and are traditional in middle eastern cooking.
- Veggies: Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and garbanzo beans. You can skip the beans if you prefer, but I love their creamy texture and the added protein. Chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces.
- Artichoke Hearts: Artichokes marinated in oil and seasonings are usually found in a glass jar. They’re delicious eaten straight from the jar too!
- Kalamata Olives: Buy pitted olives and slice them in half so that more bites of the salad have some of their briny goodness. You can also buy whole olives and pit them yourself with a simple olive pitting gadget. It also works to pit cherries!
- Feta Cheese: Be sure to buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself. It’s so much more delicious this way!
- For the Dressing: Extra virgin olive oil (use the good stuff for salad dressings!), Lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, a bit of honey, salt, and pepper.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make The Best Pearl Couscous Salad
How to Cook Pearl Couscous
- Bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan, then add salt, and 1 cup of dry pearl couscous.
- Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 9-10 minutes, or until tender.
- If all the water isn’t absorbed, drain it away. Rinse the couscous under cold water to stop the cooking process, and set is aside to cool completely.
How To make a Salad with Couscous
- Make the Dressing: Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl.
- Mix: Whisk to combine, or put the lid on the jar and shake it up! Mix until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
- Make the Salad: Add cooked couscous, chickpeas, artichokes, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, fresh mint and parsley leaves, olives, and half of the feta cheese to a large bowl. Add the dressing to the salad and toss gently to combine. Top with the rest of the feta before serving.
Tip!
Add any other veggies that you love into this salad! Try black olives, bell pepper, or chopped baby spinach. Some people even like to add chopped nuts or raisins!
Recipe Tips
- If you don’t find marinated artichokes in oil, you can substitute with canned artichokes in water. They have less flavor, but the same lovely texture, and they’ll pick up the flavor from the dressing.
- In the UK you’ll find marinated artichokes in a 285g (10oz) jar, which is slightly smaller than the 12oz jars you’ll find in the US. Either size will work just fine though!
- Be sure to wash and dry the veggies and herbs well before chopping them. I like to use a mini salad spinner to wash parsley and mint leaves.
- Use English or Persian cucumbers instead of standard cucumbers. They’re crunchier!
- For added flavor, cook the couscous in vegetable broth instead of plain water.
- For extra protein, top this salad with yogurt marinated grilled chicken, poached shrimp, or grilled salmon.
Storing Tips
The dressing for this salad can be made and kept in a jar in the fridge for several days.
Cooked pearl couscous can also be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
You can make the entire salad up to 2 days ahead of time if you like! It’s just as good on day one as it is on day 3.
Salad with couscous makes a wonderful lunch. Be sure to pack up any leftovers and enjoy them tomorrow!
What To Serve With Pearl Couscous Salad
The flavors in this salad are inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors, so it’s delicious served with any of your favorite dishes from those regions!
Try it with Middle Eastern meals like Falafel, Beef Kafta, Grilled Halloumi Cheese, and spiced Shish Tawook. Don’t forget to make up a batch of homemade Yogurt Flatbreads too!
Or, go Greek and try this salad with Chicken Gyros, or a platter of fresh pita and dips like Tzatziki and Baked Feta Dip.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe is designed with Pearl Couscous in mind, but you could substitute it with another small pasta if you want. This recipe is very similar to my Greek Orzo Salad, so check out that one too.
To cook a cup of dry pearl couscous, you need 1.5 cups of water or other liquid. If you use too much water, your couscous could get overcooked and mushy.
Yes! This recipe can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, if you want the veggies to stay extra crunchy, wait to add the salad dressing until the day you’ll serve the salad.
More Tasty Salad Recipes
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This easy to make Pearl Couscous Salad is going to be the new favorite at all of your summer barbecues and family parties! Don’t forget to Pin the recipe now to save it.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Pearl Couscous Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (150 grams) dry pearl couscous/giant couscous
- 1 15-ounce can (400 grams) chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 12-ounce jar (340 grams) marinated artichoke hearts drained and roughly chopped
- 2 cups diced cucumber English or Persian cucumbers are best
- 2 cups (300 grams) cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 red onion finely diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup (90 grams) kalamata olives pitted and sliced
- ⅓ cup (50 grams) feta cheese crumbled
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil, add ½ teaspoon of salt, and add the pearl couscous. Cover with a lid, and simmer on LOW heat for 9-10 minutes. If the water is not fully absorbed, drain it (you can rinse the couscous too if you feel like it’s too soft and you don’t want it to cook any further). And allow to cool completely.
- Make the dressing: combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined and emulsified. Or combine in jar, cover with a lid tightly, and shake it until well combined and smooth, and emulsified.
- In a large bowl, combine the couscous with chickpeas, artichokes, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, fresh mint and parsley, olives, and half of the feta cheese.
- Add the dressing to the salad, and toss gently to combine. Then top with the remaining feta and serve.
Notes:
- If you don’t find marinated artichokes in oil, you can substitute them with canned artichokes in water. They have less flavor, but the same lovely texture, and they’ll pick up the flavor from the dressing.
- Depending on where you live, you might find artichokes in a slightly smaller jar than the 12-ounce ones found in the US. Don’t stress, use whichever size you can find!
- Be sure to wash and dry the veggies and herbs well before chopping them. I like to use a mini salad spinner to wash parsley and mint leaves.
- Use English or Persian cucumbers instead of standard cucumbers. They’re crunchier!
- For added flavor, cook the couscous in vegetable broth instead of plain water.
- For extra protein, top this salad with yogurt marinated grilled chicken, poached shrimp, or grilled salmon.
- Storage Tips: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. This salad can also be made ahead of time! Wait to add the dressing until the day you’ll serve it if you want the veggies to stay crisp.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Kristen says
This was great, my kids who are very picky eaters ate it and liked it, so a big win.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so glad this salad was a success, Kristen! Thank you for the kind review.
Ann R says
I am so happy I found this recipe. I haven’t had couscous in a while and this was delicious!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you, Ann! I’m so happy you found this recipe and enjoyed it!
Sharina says
I love having this pearl couscous salad for lunch! So delicious and fresh!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you for the great review, Sharina! I’m so glad you love this salad!